Comments

As it turned out, the noise problem wasn't due to the Michelin tires: I found that out when I road on an entirely new, blacktopped freeway surface a few miles. The Michelins were as quiet as any tires I've every had.

What's more, the tires have developed a good tracking surface now, so even on the uneven surfaces of Santa Barbara streets, they sound pretty quiet too.

As for the engine, it is a little noisier than in my Acura MDX 2006 that I gave my wife. Still, the noise isn't that bad.

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It's only on the composite freeway surfaces --- even those blacktopped over --- that the noise from the tires is loud. That, though, is true of my wife's MDX, using Continental Tires that I purposely put on because they are rated the quietest tires of all.

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No roof rails, by the way. A little wind noise perhaps is caused now and then by rushing by the big exterior mirrors. (Wish I had upgraded, by the way, to have automatic dimming exterior mirrors.)

The EX tires aren't directional so rotating them using an X pattern reduces noise. I don't find the 18" tires on my car to be abnormally loud. In general I find the EX to be a fairly quiet car for a sports wagon with V rated tires.

With every car and tire combo I have owned there are some road surfaces and speeds where tire noise is louder or different.